Headlight-dimmer.



R. A. WALKER.

HEADLIGHT DIMMER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. I911 Patented Jan. ll, 1916.

INYENTOR 12mm (1. wz/z'e A HORNE WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBIN A. WALKER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

HEADLIGHT-DIMMER.

Application filed December 26, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBIN A. lVALKER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Headlight-Dimmers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to headlight dimmers, and my object is to provide adevice of this character whereby the light rays projected from theheadlights of an automobile can be reduced in volume at will by thedriver without leaving his seat.

The device also reduces the elevation at which the light rays areprojected, so that they will not shine into the eyes of driversapproaching from the opposite direction; thereby eliminating the dangerof accidents arising from this cause.

The device can be either built into new lamps, or readily applied tolamps now in use; and in order that the invention may be fullyunderstood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a broken front elevation, partly in section, of the deviceapplied to a headlight. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device appliedto a headlight. Fig. 3 is an irregular vertical section of the device online IIIHI of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the devicewith a number of shutter leaves removed, on line IVIV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a front elevation of an annulus and one leaf of the shutter. Fig. 6is a cross section on line VIVI of Fig. 5.

A designates a headlight of any ordinary or preferred type, providedwith the cus tomary lens B.

1 designates the dimmer constituting the important feature of theinvention.

2 designates an annular case applied to the front portion of theheadlight A, to which it may be secured by any suitable means, such forinstance, as screws 2.

3 designates a stationary annulus provided with marginal lugs 4, securedto the inner surface of the case 1 by rivets 5, or other suitable means.

6 designates a movable annulus of about the same size as the stationaryannulus 3, in advance of which it is spaced to leave room for a seriesof segmental leaves 7. The movable annulus 6 is supported in axialSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916,

Serial No. 879,087.

alinement with the stationary annulus 3 12 designates a cable to pullthe arm 8 downward against the action of the spring 10, for the purposeof partly closing the shutter. Said cable 12 is attached at one end tothe arm 8, extends around a guide sheave 13, and is provided at its rearend with a I ring 14, adapted to engage any one ofa series of pins 15,16 and 17, preferably, arranged within convenient reach of the driver,so that it may be operated Without leaving the drivers seat.

The front sides of the shutter leaves 7 are connected to the movableannulus 6 by rivets 17*, while their rear sides are connected to thestationary annulus 3 by rivets 18, The

rivets 17 and 18 extend through slots 19 and i 20 in the ends of theleaves 7, to permit the same to move toward and away from the axial lineof the stationary and movable annuli 3 and 6, respectively. In orderthat the heads 21 of the rivets may not project into a v the paths ofthe leaves 7 and interfere with their operation, the ends of said leavesare provided with marginal flanges 22, bent over said heads 21 andbetween the same and the adjacent sides of the annuli 3 and 6.

Normally the shutter is held in open po. sition, as disclosed by Fig. 1,through the intermediacy of the coil spring 10, but when it is desiredto partly close said shutter, the ring 14 is removed from the pin 15 anddrawn over the intermediate pin 16. This operation partly rotates themovable an nulus 6, causing it to force the leaves 7 inward toward theaxial line of the annuli 3 and 6, and thus reduce the area through whichthe rays of light are projected from the lamp A. To further reduce thearea of said opening the ring 14 is drawn backward over the pin 17,thereby causing further rotation of the annulus 6, which in turn movesthe leaves 7 closer to the'axial line of the annuli 3 and 6, asdisclosed by Fig. 3. When traveling over dark streets or country roadswhere the full benefit of the headlight is desired, the shutter may beinstantly opened to its full capacity by removing the Patent, is:

ring 14 and placing it over the pin 15, thereby permitting the spring 10to draw the arm 8 upward and rotate the annulus 6 until all of theleaves lie hidden behind said annulus.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, Ireserve the right to make such changes in the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope ofthe claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I .claim and desire to secureby Letters 1. In combination with a headlight, a shutter consisting of aseries of mutually and centrally intersecting segmental leaves pivotedat each of their ends, and means to headlight. 7 v

2. In combination with a headlight, a stationary annulus, amovableannulus, and a Z series of mutually and centrally'intersectingleaves operably-connected to-said annuli at their respective ends tocontrol the volume of light rays projectedfrom the headlight.

n combination with a headlight, a case secured to said headlight,mutually and centrally intersecting segmental-' leaves operably-mountedWithin said case, and means.

to actuate said leaves to control the volume of light rays projectedfrom the headlight,

said leaves being connected at their ends to ,said case and means andarranged to have leaves which centrally intersect each other and aresupported at each of their ends to control the volume of light raysprojected from the headlight, means to automatically move said leaves inone direction, and manual means to move said leaves in an oppositedirection.

5. In combination with a headlight, a shutter consisting of a stationaryannulus, a movable annulus, segmental leaves having pin and slotconnections with said annuli at their respective ends, and flanges, on said leaves to coverthe heads of the pins.

6. In a headlight dimmer, a case, leaves in the case Which cooperate toform an adjustable light outlet, spring means to tension said leaves,and means to operate and hold the leaves against said tension includinga flexible member having a latch member, and a series of spacedprojections any one of which is engageable with said latch member so asto hold the leaves in difl'erent adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of twoWitnesses.

ROBIN A. WALKER.

- Witnesses; i

F. G. FISCHER, L. J. FISCHER.

